Wu Yibing still goes back and watches the highlights.
Two years ago at the Rolex Shanghai Masters, the Chinese star pushed Carlos Alcaraz through a high-quality third-round battle on Stadium Court before the Spaniard prevailed 7-6(5), 6-3.
“I still watch highlights sometimes from that match,” Wu said. “I think both of us played great tennis. It was my third match of the tournament. I like the fast court here. I always enjoy to play Carlos. His style, his shots are one of the best on tour.
“Plus the fans here are supporting me, and it was maybe one of the best matches that I played in my career. Hopefully I can do good as well this year.”
Wu could face another of the game’s best players. Should he win his opening match against a qualifier Wednesday, he would play top seed Alexander Zverev on Friday.
Wu has compiled an 8-10 tour-level record this year, highlighted by a quarter-final run in Acapulco and a third-round appearance at the US Open, where he again was stopped by Alcaraz. But more importantly, staying healthy has allowed him to build rhythm.
Recently, Wu collected a silver medal at the Asian Games, where Hong Kong’s Coleman Wong took gold.
“Silver is still good,” he said. “I gave my everything on court like I always do.
“I’m playing injury-free, able to play all the tournaments I want,” Wu said. “I’m having my first, I think, really healthy season with no major issues on my body.”
Shanghai has always been more than just another stop on the calendar. Long before Wu was competing on Stadium Court, it was where he first watched professional tennis in person.
“My first tournament ever that I watched, it was right here in the stadium,” he said. “Every year playing here, it’s like a dream come true.”
Wu has already secured his place in Chinese tennis history.
His Dallas title in 2023 made him the first Chinese man to win an ATP Tour singles crown, a breakthrough that came during a period of rapid growth for the sport in the country.
Since then, Zhang Zhizhen, Shang Juncheng and Buyunchaokete have also established themselves on the international stage, while Zheng Qinwen’s 2024 Olympic gold medal has brought tennis to an even broader audience at home.
Wu believes the foundations are now in place for that momentum to continue.
“Everybody in the country can feel that tennis has been developing pretty good this year, thanks to our Olympic champion Qinwen. I think she really inspired a lot of female kids also just to be able to know the sport, how beautiful it is.
“I think it's also a responsibility on the male players' side, that we try to do our best on court and people around us can see, okay, how good this sport is.”
Wu added that the month-long Asian swing has also laid the foundation for the sport to flourish in China.
“We are not as lucky as the European players or the Americans who have a longer season in their home base. But one month, it's a really long time, and it's great that we have 500s, 250s including in my home city Hangzhou, plus Masters and multiple Challengers and Futures for our young generation to be able to get points earlier in their career. I think China, we are having a really great future in our tennis.”
Main draw action begins Wednesday.
